The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembled component composed of a first connector to be disposed on a substrate and a second connector to be received in and connected to the first connector. In particular, the present invention relates to an electrical connector assembled component, in which the first connector and the second connector that compose the connector assembled component are made by bending a sheet metal.
As a conventional electrical connector assembled component of this type, Patent Reference discloses a receptacle connector to connect to a circuit board as a first connector and a plug connector as a second connector.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent No. 4,885,320
According to Patent Reference, both of the receptacle connector and the plug connector are made by bending a sheet metal. The receptacle connector mounted on a circuit board has a laterally laid rectangular cylindrical accommodating section. The receptacle connector is to be connected by soldering to a circuit board at a bottom plate of the accommodating section. The accommodating section includes a contact spring strip that is made by cutting and lifting a part of the bottom plate thereof and elastically contacts with the plug connector upon insertion of the plug. On a top plate of the accommodating section, there is formed a window-like locking portion, so as to lock a locking strip of the plug. On the other hand, in the plug connector, an insertion section to be inserted forward into the rectangular cylindrical accommodating section of the receptacle connector has side plates that are formed by bending up both sides of the bottom plate, and has a lock spring strip that is formed by bending the front end of the bottom plate backward so as to be provided above the bottom plate. The lock spring strip is formed so as to have a rear end to slightly be lifted. The plug connector is connected to a cable at a rear end side thereof.
When the plug connector is inserted in the accommodating section of the receptacle connector, the bottom plate of the plug connector presses the elastic contact strip of the receptacle downward so as to elastically contact with the elastic contact strip. An edge of the rear end section of the lock spring strip of the plug connector enters in the window-like locking portion and is brought to a position so as to be able to lock at the rear end of the inner circumferential edges of the locking portion. Once the plug connector is pulled backward, the lock spring strip and the locking portion engage with each other and are locked in the pull-out direction.
According to Patent Reference, the whole receptacle connector and plug connector are made by bending work of a sheet metal. Further, the accommodating section and the elastic contact strip of the receptacle connector are integrally made as one piece, and the bottom plate, the side plates, and the lock spring strip of the plug connector are integrally made as one piece. Here, according to Patent Reference, since the receptacle connector and the plug contact connector to each other directly, the receptacle connector and the plug contact connector are also referred to as terminals.
According to Patent Reference, in a state of use, in which the plug connector is fitted and connected to the receptacle connector, the four members, i.e., the elastic contact strip of the receptacle connector, the bottom plate of the plug connector, the lock spring strip of the plug connector, and the top plate of the receptacle connector, are provided so as to pile up in the order, upward from a position of the circuit board.
Therefore, in case of the conventional connector assembled component disclosed in Patent Reference, when it is in use, a height dimension on a circuit board will be at least the total of height dimensions of the four members.
The conventional connector assembled component of this type to be mounted on a circuit board is strongly demanded to have a small height dimension in view of design of electronic devices for mounting a circuit board, to which the conventional connector assembled component is connected.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembled component that can have even smaller height dimension than the conventional connector assembled component of Patent Reference.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.